Railroad-tie.



R. H. FISHBAUGH.

RAILROAD TIE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1908.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

WITNESSES PATENT OFFICE.

RUFUS H. FISH'BAUGH, 6F WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.

RAILROAD-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1.909..

Application filed July 18,, 190,8. Serial N 1.44:4,163.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUS HsFI SHBAUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Wells county, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railroad ties and has for its objectthe provision of a tie made of metal having a central longitudinal arched portion to add elasticity to the tie as well as" to prevent water from standing under the tie to soften the road bed and causing it to settle, while the ends are'made flat and relatively thin to save material as well as to provide for tamping the ballast under the middle portion of the tie.

My invention also includes an improved fastener for the rails consisting of bars of spring metal slidably mounted in shoulders on the tie and engaging sockets in the top of the tie to hold them in position.

My invention will he described in detail hereinafter and'illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of my improved tie with the rails in position, Fig. 2, a top plan view, Fig. 3, a cross section through the middle of the tie," and Fig. 4, a

view of one of the locking keys.

In the drawings similar-reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

My improved tie is made preferably of metal an has a central arch-shaped portion 1 and flat extensions 2 at each end on a higher plane than the base of the arch-shaped portion 1. The top surface of each extension 2 is provided with a chair or seat 3 for a rail A having its inner side formed by a shoulder 4 While its outer side is formed by a shoulder 5 having anoverhanging flange 6 t0 engage the base of the rail. The shoulders 4 are provided with holes 7 to receive locking keys 8. Said locking keys are made of spring metal having one end 9 rigid while the remainder of its length is formed with a thin web 10 and its extreme end formed with flanges 11. The top of the tie is formed with sockets 12 to receive keys 8 with shoulders 13 against which the ends of the keys seat when in a locking position, a depression 14 being formed adjacent to said shoulders to receive flanges 11.

By constructing the tie with the arched portion in its middle an air space is formed which contributes to make the tie elastic and at the same time enables the drainage of the space under the tie to prevent the earth fiQm becoming soft and the roadbed from settling. The flat extensions 2 forming the ends of the tie also add to its elasticity and form a space for the insertion of ballast.

I The locking key is so formed that in inserting it in position the web 10 gives to allow the key to be inserted and when in osition the flange 11 on the underside of the ey seats in the depression 14 and the key is held in place by engaging the shoulders 13. In removing the key a tool may be inserted under the Web 10 and driven out by striking the flange 11 on the top side of the key.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a railroad tie, an arched middle portion having its base formed on a horizontal plane and comprising the base of the tie, and flat end extensions having their under surfaces on a higher plane than the base of the arched middle portion.

2. In a railroad tie, an arched middle portion, flat end extensions, rail seats on the flat extensions, and means engaging the top of the arched middle portion to clamp the rails in place.

3. In a railroad tie, an arched middle portion, flat end extensions having their under surfaces on a higher plane than the base of the arched middle dportion, rail seats on the flat extensions, an means engaging the top of the arched middle portion to clamp the rails in position.

4. A railroad tie consisting of an arched middle portion, flat extensions at the ends, rail seats on the top of the tiehaving shoulders at'each side, one of said shoulders having a flange to engage one side of the base of the rail, and means engaging the other shoulders to secure the other side. of the base of the rail. I

5. A railroad tie having'rail seats, a shoulder at one side of each rail seat having a flange to engage one side of the base of the rail, a shoulder on the other side of each seat rail seats on the top of the tie having shoulders at each side, one of said shoulders having a flange to engage one side of the baseof the rail, the other shoulder having a hole therein, and a key seated in said hole to en-' gage the other side of the rail base.

7. A railroad tie consisting of an arched middle portion, fiat extensions at the ends, rail seats'on the top of the tie having shoulders at each side, one of said shoulders having a flange to engage one side of the base of the rail, the other shoulder having a hole therein, the top of the tie formed with a socket having a shoulder, and a spring key adapted to fit into said hole and engage the socket and shoulder.

8. A railroad tie consisting of an arched middle portion, flat extensions at the ends, rail seats on the top of the tie having shoulders at each side, one of said shoulders having a flange to engage one side of the base of the rail, the other shoulder having a hole therein, the top of the tie formed with a socket adjacent .to said hole in the shoulder and having a shoulder at its end farthest from the shoulder on the tie and a depression adjacent to the shoulder in the socket, a key to engage the hole in the shoulder and the socket in the tie having a rigid end to engage the other side of the rail base, a relatively thin portion and a flange to engage the shoulder in the socket and seat in the depression therein.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, RUFUS H. FISHBAUGH. Vitnesses:

RoBT. K. SoUDER, F. B. FISHBAUGH. 

